Scarva: Thousands attend annual 'Sham Fight'
- Published
Thousands of spectators attended the annual Sham Fight in the County Down village of Scarva on Friday
The event is a theatrical re-enactment of the victory of King William III over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690
The result is never really in doubt
About 20 actors and four horses take part in the re-enactment, organised by the Royal Black Preceptory
James II, who had converted to Catholicism about 20 years earlier, fled from England and lost his crown to his son-in-law William of Orange, a Dutch-born Protestant
In March 1689, James II landed in Ireland and raised an army with French support
James' aim was to use Ireland as a base to invade England and regain his throne.
In response, William of Orange, also known as King Billy, raised a huge invasion force, the largest Ireland had ever seen
William decisively defeated his father-in-law's forces and continued to rule for the next 12 years
James died in exile in France in 1701, William died the following year, weeks after a horse-riding accident